Eternal Life Synonyms

This blog post presents one aspect of the research I have done into the scriptural usage of the phrase Eternal Life or Life Eternal. There are 100 verses of scripture that use this phrase. The scriptures that use the word life referring to eternal life is beyond the scope of this post.

Of the 100 verses, 75 will be focused on here because they have one thing in common. They all equate eternal life to other words or phrases which creates a batch of synonyms. There have been many people who have taken a single verse, isolated it, apart from the context and meaning of the verses, chapters, and general topic as a whole around it, and created a new meaning which is not consistent with the doctrine of Christ. My purpose here is to look at the general topic of eternal life in context of all scriptures around it so we can detect when added meanings are not correct.

Top 7 synonyms

Salvation

    More than half (51/100) of all instances of eternal life used in scripture equate it with salvation. Words of phrases used are: save, will save, saved, be saved, be saved in the kingdom of God, be saved in his kingdom, be saved in the kingdom of my father, be saved from wrath, salvation, everlasting salvation, everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God, my salvation, the plan of salvation.

Kingdom of God

    Nearly the same amount (41/100) equate eternal life with God's kingdom. Words or phrases used are: kingdom of God, the kingdom of God, see the kingdom of God, enter into the kingdom of God, inherit the kingdom of God, heirs of the kingdom of God, be saved in the kingdom of God, everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God, received into the eternal kingdom of God, be saved in his kingdom, heaven, kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of heaven, inherit the kingdom of heaven, enter into the kingdom of heaven, dwelleth eternally in the heavens, the kingdom of my Father, be saved in the kingdom of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, a place prepared for you in the mansions of my father, receive a crown in the mansions of my Father, the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father, the glory of the celestial kingdom, my Father’s house, many mansions, kingdoms, principalities, powers, his Father’s kingdom.

Redemption

    Instances equating eternal life to redemption (16/100) use words and phrases such as: redemption, redeemed, be redeemed, my redeemed, redeemed of God, redeem his people, redeem the world.

Raised up

    This has to do with the resurrection (16/100) but it is relating to the quality of the resurrection. Everyone will be resurrected but not everyone will be raised up. Words and phrases used related to this are: resurrection of life, the first resurrection, come forth in the first resurrection, be numbered with those of the first resurrection, raised to dwell with God, raise him up at the last day, raise up at the last day, lifted up at the last day, be lifted up at the last day, be saved at the last day, not be cast off at the last day, spotless at his judgment-seat, glory and honor and immortality, immortal glory.

Life

    Eternal life is equated to other ways of describing this life (13/100) using words and phrases such as: life, enter into life, life everlasting, everlasting life, inherit everlasting life, resurrection of life, the fruit of the tree of life, the bread and the waters of life.

Glory

    The quality of eternal life is a life with glory (10/100) given to them by God. Those who do not receive the gift of eternal life do not receive any glory. Words and phrases used are: hopes of glory, his glory, dwell with me in glory, be made partakers of the glories, the glory of the celestial kingdom, glory and honor and immortality, partakers of the glories, immortal glory, with crowns of glory.

Right Hand

    The right hand of God (9/100) is very symbolic and these are the words and phrases equated to eternal life: his right hand, my right hand, the right hand of God, the right hand of my Father, the right hand of the Lamb, a place at my right hand, have a place eternally at my right hand, an inheritance at my right hand, crowned at the right hand of the Son of Man, not found on the left hand of God.

Others

    There are several other phrases that are not as common. Here are the rest of them: enter in, I will receive you, be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, everlasting welfare of your souls, enter into his rest, enter into that rest, enter into the rest of the Lord, entered into the rest of the Lord their God, enter into the joy of his Lord, a fullness of joy, dwell there, dwell in his presence, in the presence of the Lamb, our bosom, his own bosom, the bosom of the Father, made heirs, children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters, become my sons, become the sons of God, be a child of Christ, seal you his, one in me, not perish, never perish, I will in no wise cast out, he delivereth his saints from that awful monster, they are delivered, not be hewn down and cast into the fire, not suffer the second death.

While these words and phrases are synonyms to eternal life, they all have their own meanings which are unique. I will comment on a few things from the above list.

Salvation - As we look into salvation above, we see that we are saved in and from something. Looking further into salvation we find that there are several prepositions used in connection with it that give us clarity into salvation such as: in, from, at, with, by, through, to, according to, of, after, for. Some day I expect to write a blog post with the research I have done into these prepositions in relation to salvation and redemption.

Kingdom of God - It has been assumed by some that the kingdom of God, which has many mansions and kingdoms, can only be that portion where God the Father lives and does not include those portions where God the Son or God the Holy Ghost actively visit. While it is true that eternal life is life in the kingdom of God, it is not limited to the presence of the Father. It is hard to find scriptural support for this limitation unless you make an extra-scriptural assumption that when they refer to God they are only referring to the Father God, separate from the Son and the Holy Ghost Gods. The equal flaw to making this assumption is to assume that the kingdom of God only refers to the highest kingdom, often referred to as the celestial kingdom, separate from the Terrestrial and Telestial kingdoms. Just as God cannot be separate, neither can His kingdom.

Redemption - While salvation is more often future looking, redemption is looking back to the life we had before the fall. We are bought back from the the state we sold ourselves into with sin.

Raised up - Resurrection includes the final judgement which is inseparably connected to it and occurs at the last day of our probationary state.

Glory - There is one synonym listed above that may not actually be a synonym but I included it because the phrase can be interpreted in two ways. That possible synonym is 'the glory of the celestial kingdom.' For a clearer explanation and understanding that allows this to be put into an overarching scriptural context, please review my previous post Abraham 2:11 Salvation, even Life Eternal. There is another verse that could be taken out of context and be used to make it appear that eternal life is equated to celestial glory but that is addressed in that same blog post and put back into context.

All 75 verses:
Matthew 19:16-30 (16) - enter into life, enter into the kingdom of heaven, enter into the kingdom of God, be saved, and inherit everlasting life.
Matthew 25:31-46 (46) - His right hand and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Mark 10:17-31 (17,30) - enter into the kingdom of God and be saved.
Luke 18:18-30 (18) - enter into the kingdom of God, be saved, and life everlasting.
John 3:1-21 (15) - see the kingdom of God, enter into the kingdom of God, not perish, everlasting life, and be saved.
John 4:5-42 (36) - everlasting life and salvation.
John 5:19-47 (39) - everlasting life, resurrection of life, be saved, and life.
John 6:26-71 (54,68) - everlasting life, life, I will in no wise cast out, and raise him up at the last day.
John 10:1-38 (28) - enter in, be saved, life, and never perish.
Acts 13:46-48 (48) - everlasting life and salvation.
Romans 5:1-21 (21) - be saved from wrath and be saved.
Romans 6:19-23 (23) - everlasting life.
Titus 3:4-7 (7) - saved and made heirs.

2 Nephi 2:1-30 (27-28) - redeemed, salvation, dwell in the presence of God, be saved, and everlasting welfare of your souls.
2 Nephi 9:1-54 (39) - inherit the kingdom of God, save, He delivereth his saints from that awful monster, be saved in the kingdom of God, they are delivered, and salvation.
2 Nephi 10:23-25 (23) - saved and received into the eternal kingdom of God,
2 Nephi 31:15-21 (18,20) - be saved and be saved in the kingdom of God.
2 Nephi 33:4-12 (4) - redeemed, spotless at his judgment-seat, life, and be saved in His kingdom.
Jacob 6:4-11 (11) - be saved in the kingdom of God.
Enos 1:2-27 (3) - salvation and a place prepared for you in the mansions of My Father.
Mosiah 5:6-15 (15) - children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters, salvation, the right hand of God, not found on the left hand of God, seal you His, heaven, and everlasting salvation.
Mosiah 15:11-25 (23-25) - redeem his people, heirs of the kingdom of God, salvation, come forth in the first resurrection, the first resurrection, raised to dwell with God, and redeemed.
Mosiah 18:7-29 (9,13) - redemption, redeemed of God, be numbered with those of the first resurrection, the kingdom of God, and redeemed.
Mosiah 26:15-32 (20) - a place at My right hand, have a place eternally at My right hand.
Mosiah 28:1-7 (7) - salvation.
Alma 1:4 - be saved at the last day and redeemed.
Alma 5:3-62 (28) - saved, salvation, kingdom of God, kingdom of heaven, be saved, I will receive you, the fruit of the tree of life, the bread and the waters of life, not be hewn down and cast into the fire, inherit the kingdom of heaven, and an inheritance at my right hand.
Alma 7:9-25 (16) - kingdom of heaven, inherit the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, and be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Alma 11:32-40 (40) - inherit the kingdom of heaven, be saved, redeem His people, and salvation.
Alma 13:1-30 (29) - enter into His rest, entered into the rest of the Lord their God, enter into that rest, enter into the rest of the Lord, salvation, lifted up at the last day, and not suffer the second death.
Alma 22:2-18 (15) - be saved, hopes of glory, not be cast off at the last day, and be saved at the last day.
Helaman 5:6-11 (8) - be saved, redeem the world, redeem His people, and salvation.
Helaman 8:11-26 (15) - redemption, redeemed, and heaven.
3 Nephi 9:13-22 (14) - become the sons of God, redemption, kingdom of God, and be saved.
3 Nephi 15:1-10 (9) - raise up at the last day.
Moroni 7:2-48 (41) - enter into the rest of the Lord, heaven, be a child of Christ, saved, the right hand of God, dwelleth eternally in the heavens, be saved, and become the sons of God.
Moroni 9:1-26 (25) - the kingdom of God, be saved, and His glory.

D&C 6:1-37 (7) - everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God, be saved in the kingdom of God, salvation, heaven, dwell with me in glory, and inherit the kingdom of heaven.
D&C 10:46-55 (50) - inherit the kingdom of heaven.
D&C 11:3-30 (7) - everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God and become the sons of God.
D&C 14:3-7 (7) - everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.
D&C 18:2-47 (8) - the kingdom of my Father, My salvation, be saved, and be saved in the kingdom of my Father.
D&C 20:1-35 (14,26) - be saved and be saved in the kingdom of God.
D&C 29:27 - My right hand.
D&C 42:59-61 (61) - be saved.
D&C 43:23-26 (25) - saved and everlasting salvation.
D&C 45:5-8 (8) - everlasting life and become the sons of God.
D&C 51:19 - enter into the joy of his Lord.
D&C 59:2,23 (23) - receive a crown in the mansions of my Father.
D&C 66:2,12 (12) - be made partakers of the glories and the right hand of my Father.
D&C 68:8-12 (12) - be saved.
D&C 75:5,16,22 (5) - be lifted up at the last day.
D&C 81:6 - the mansions which I have prepared in the house of my Father.
D&C 88:3-61 (4) - the glory of the celestial kingdom.
D&C 98:11-20 (13,20) - my Father’s house, many mansions.
D&C 101:63-65 (65) - salvation.
D&C 124:54-55 (55) - will save.
D&C 128:11-12, 23 (12,23) - salvation, glory, and honor, and immortality, kingdoms, principalities, and powers.
D&C 131:5-6 (5) - be saved.
D&C 133:52-62 (62) - my redeemed, saved, redeemed, in the presence of the Lamb, the right hand of the Lamb, partakers of the glories.
D&C 138:51 - his Father’s kingdom.

Moses 5:9-15 (11) - be redeemed, redemption, be saved.
Moses 6:57-68 (59) - inherit the kingdom of God, dwell there, dwell in his presence, the kingdom of heaven, immortal glory, and the plan of salvation, one in me, become my sons.
Moses 7:45-69 (45) - the bosom of the Father, crowned at the right hand of the Son of Man, with crowns of glory, the right hand of God, our bosom, redemption, a fullness of joy, his own bosom.
Abraham 2:11 - salvation.